Collapsible one-piece reenforced suit box



Aug. 26, 1924. 1,506,137

' e. E. SCRUBY COLLAPSIBLE ONE-PIECE REENFORCED SUIT BOX Filed March 10 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 26 @1924 1,506,137

G. E. SCRUBY COLLAPSIBLE ONE-PIECE REENFORCED SUIT BOX Filed March 10. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 26, 1924.

UNITED STATES GEORGE E. SCRUBY, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

COLLAPSIBLE ONE-PIECE REENFORCED SUIT BOX.

Application filed March 10, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. SGRUBY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Birmingham, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible One-Piece Reenforced Suit Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a collapsible onepiece reenforced paper box especially designed and adapted for use as a suit box, but obviously the principles underlying my invention make it adaptable for other types of collapsible paper boxes.

It has long been recognized that it is desirable, if commercially and economically feasible, to produce suit boxes of the collapsible one-piece type as by doing so it would be possible to eliminate the manufacture and stocking of both tops and hottoms, to facilitate the shipment, and to make easier and quicker the assembling of the box.

Heretofore, the necessity has also been recognized of providing suit boxes with some suitable reinforcement, thereby to protect them and their contents the better from delivery abuses, exposure to the elements, and from damage in shipment, and to this end it has been suggested to provide the paper box with a reinforcing marginal frame member of corrugated board or the like, which reinforcements were sometimes used separately from the assembled box and sometimes incorporated in the box by attachment to its blank. In all cases with which I am familiar, such one-piece reenforced boxes as were collapsible were cut with tabs, tongues and various kinds of locking members which the user must assemble in setting up the box for use.

The first object of my invention is to design a one-piece collapsible suit box which can be completely formed and stitched at the factory and which requires no interlocking or assembling operations on the part of the user other than to set it up along its fold scores. In this way the boxes reach the; user as a finished product, requiring a minimum of effort and delay in preparing it for use and which when set up and in use will not have the objectionable tendency of the present locked boxes to open up and come apart at the looks when handled.

A further object of my invention is to Serial No. 624,065.

utilize a scored reinforcing element which is preferably stitched to the collapsible box so as to form a permanent unit thereof and by its use permitting a lighter stock to be employed in the box while giving to the set up box a greatly increased strength.

My invention contemplates the production of the box proper from a square or polygonal sheet of board which is scored only, and in this manner I avoid all waste mate rial and eliminate all cuts, hooks, locks, pegs or other fastenings except the stitches utilized at the corners to hold the box in assembled position, and where desired to hold the reinforcing member in place. As thus produced the blank is adapted to be folded together into a one-piece structure in a novel manner, the box being simple to manufacture on regular equipment at a cost that compares favorably with the less desirable two-piece box.

My invention also comprises the novel details of construction and arrangements of parts, which in their preferred embodiment only are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the finished box folded or collapsed for shipment.

Fig. 2 shows the box being opened up with the reinforcing member about to swing into place in the bottom.

Fig. 3 shows the reinforcing member in position in the bottom ready for use.

Fig. 4- is an enlarged view in end elevation of the box as first opened up, the dotted lines showing the manner of forming the rear corner folds.

Fig. 5 illustrates the position of the folds with the top in upright position; and

Fig. 6 with the top in closed position.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 77 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the scored blank; and

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of the reinforcing member.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

In the following specification I shall proceed to describe in detail the manner of making and using my improved type of reonforced paper box as embodied in a suit box, but it will be understood that in so doing I do not limit the scope of my invention to any particular type, size or shape of paper box.

Referring first to Fig. 8, I show the blank formed by a rectangular piece of board which is subdivided by scores only to form a top 1, a bottom 2, and a connecting side 3. The top is provided with a side wall 4 and two end walls 5 and 6, and the bottom is provided with a side Wall 7 and two end walls 8 and 9. The connecting side wall 3 is provided at each end with a fia 10 connecting the adjacent walls 5, 8 ant 6, 9. The walls 5 and S and one flap 10 are defined by a longitudinal scor 11 extending from end to end of the blank and the walls 6 and 9 and the other flap 10 are defined by a corresponding score 12 on the other side of the blank. The walls 4 and 7 and the connecting wall 3 are defined by transverse parallel scores 13, 14, 15 and 16, all at right angles to the side edges of the blank and intersecting the scores 11 and 12. The intersecting scores thus define the middle square flaps 10 and four square corner flaps 17 at each corner of theblank. I provide a diagonal score 18 across each corner flap 17 and in the walls 5, 6, 8 and 9 I provide similar diagonal'scores 19 on each side of the flaps 10, thus defining triangular flaps 20. In each wall 4 and 7 I provide, rising from the intersection of the score 11 with the scores 13 or 16, a diagonal score 21, which scores 21 define with the score 11 the triangular flaps 22 and 23 in the ends walls 4 and 7 respectively. In like manner, in

' the walls 6 and 9 I provide diagonal scores 24 intersecting the score 12 at the corners of the end flaps 17 and defining with the scores 13 and 16, respectively, the triangu- .lar flaps 25 and 26. In manufacturing the box the scores are first folded and then the box covers are stitched.

The'manner of folding is as follows. Referring to the blank, Fig. 8, the walls 6 and 9 are first folded up at right angles along the score 12 and then the wall 4 is folded up along the score 16, the connecting corner flap being folded with its score line 18 folded inwardly and the outside faces (or the under faces as viewed in Fig. 8) of the two diagonal halves of the flap 17, are brought together and folded against the wall 4 and connected thereto by a stitch 27. In lik manner, the wall 7 is folded up, its flap 17 adjacent to the wall 9 is folded inwardly and then against the wall 7 and is stitched thereto. In like manner, the walls 5 and 8 are folded up along score 11 and their corner flaps 17 are folded in and then against the walls 5 and 8 and are stitched thereto. The box is then ready toreceive the reinforcing member, if same is to be attached thereto.

The reinforcing member which is illus trated in Fig. 9, is formed preferably of double face corrugated board or other Inateri'al which is most suitable for :use when formed in a rectangular tube 28 having longitudinal scores 29 spaced to correspond with the corners of the box bottom. This tube is folded flat and cut across into lengths corresponding to the depth of the box. One of the long sides of the reinforcing member is then placed over the connecting wall 3 and its side members are then stitched to the flaps 10. The box is now complete.

To collapse the box for flat shipment, as shown in Fig. 1, the walls 4 and '7 are folded inwardly at the scores 21 so that the walls 5 and S can be folded down flat on the top and bottom and at. the same time the walls 6 and 9 can be folded along the scores 24, thereby permitting the walls 4 and 7 to fold down fiat. In thus folding, the reinforcing member is folded down flat upon itself as shown in Fig. 1 and the whole box, though entirel finished, can be thus completely collapsedi To set up the box, the reinforcing member 28 is pulled up with its ends at right angles to the top and bottom, which is the full line position shown in Fig. 4. The reinforcing member 28 is then swung over onto the bottom 2 in the direction indicated by the dotted lines, Fig. 4. As it moves down, the wall 7 is pulled out to right angled position (compare Figs. 4 and 5), and as the reinforcing member 28 is forced down into the bottom, walls 8 and 9 bend along their scores 19 with the flaps 26 fold ing in against the inside face of the walls 8 and 9, respectively, which brings the box to the position shown in Figs. 5 and 7. 1 To close the top, the walls 5 outwardly along their score lines 19, cansing the flaps 20 in them tov fold outwardly and downwardly about the score 15 until these flaps overlap the bottom walls 8 and 9. As the top wall 4 is pulled out so that it can telescope over the bottom wall 7 the fold along the score lines 21 and 24 in the walls 4 and 6, respectively, are drawn out straight so that the assembled finished box has much the appearance of the ordinary suit box except that it, hasfive thicknesses in Figs. 4 to 6, and by comparing these figures it will be seen that the corner f alone remains in position and that when the box is partway folded the corners e and c overlap and when fully folded the and 6 are bent corners e and 0 continue to overlap and r the corners b and cl then overlap. It IS preferable for the folded corner flaps 17 to be stitched to the adjacent side or end wall which is not scored diagonally, as this arrangement will facilitate the folding of of the box.

It is obvious that it will be quite simple to open up and assemble the box in accordance with the description and when thus assembled the box is very strong and will adequately protect its contents from any ordinary amage. Boxes thus formed though of lighter stock than customarily used for suit boxes will support the weight of a man standing on their sides, ends or corners, and by reason of the fact that there is no waste stock and that lighter stock can be used my reinforced box can be produced at a very favorable cost as compared with the present two-part suit boxes.

Though I have described with great particularity the details of the embodiment of the invention herein shown, it is not to be construed that I am limited thereto, as changes in arrangement and substitution of equivalents may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I prefer to avoid cuts at the corners or adjacent to the flaps 10 as such will only weaken the box and admit dust and dirt, but obviously the lapped corner members could be cut and then stitched in the manner well understood in this art and such changes will not depart in principle from my invention.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A collapsible one-piece paper box comprising a bottom, a top, a side wall connecting the bottom and top, the bottom and top being scored to form marginal walls, means forming corner flaps which are stitched to adjacent marginal walls, there being additional diagonal scores formed in the marginal walls of both top and bottom in position to permit them after their corners have been set up and stitched to be. folded down flat, and a reinforcing member mounted to move with the connecting side wall and scored to fold flat with said marginal walls.

2. A collapsible one-piece paper box scored, folded and stitched to form a top, a

bottom, and a connecting side wall, and a reinforcing member attached to a part of the box and scored to fold flat and shaped when expanded to fit snugly within and marginally reinforce the set up bottom of the box.

3. A paper box formed in one-piece having scoring and folds to form a top, a bottom and a connecting side wall, the blank for the box being provided along the sides forming the ends of the finished box with scores extending from end to end of the blank, and a polygonal reinforcing member having its sides corresponding substantially in dimensions to the'connecting side wall between said scores and having its ends corresponding substantially to the box end walls stitched to end flaps on the connecting wall formed beyond said scores, said reinforcing member being scored to fold flat with the end flaps of the connecting side wall.

4. A collapsible paper box formed of an uncut paper blank scored to define marginal walls and flaps and an intermediate connecting side wall between the top and bottom portions of the box, said flaps at the free corners of the box being scored and folded and stitched to adjacent marginal walls to form finished corners on both the top and bottom, and said marginal walls being additionally diagonally scored adjacent to the corner flaps to provide for the folding down fiat of the end walls in the same direction.

5. A collapsible one-piece paper box formed of an uncut paper blank scored to define marginal walls, corner flaps, and an intermediate connecting side wall between the top and bottom of the box, said flaps being scored diagonally to fold and form corners at the free sides of the top and bottom, and said marginal walls being additionally diagonally scored to provlde for the folding down flat of the end walls in the same direction, the connecting wall having end flaps associated on'each side with triangular flaps formed by scoring the adjacent marginal walls, which triangular flaps are adapted to be folded in to permit the closing of the formed box.

6. A box blank for a collapsible paper box formed of a rectangular paper sheet having intersecting longitudinal and transverse scorings defining marginal walls and flaps, and intermediate spaced transverse scorings defining a connecting side wall and end flaps therefor, scorings to permit the formation of infolding corners at the four corners of the blank, and supplemental diagonal scorings in marginal walls to permit one opposite pair of marginal walls of the blank to fold under one of the connecting marginal walls and over the other connecting marginal wall when said connecting marginal walls are folded flat, there being scorings in the marginal Walls adjacent to the end flaps of the connecting side wall to allow said scored walls to fold and permit the closing of the set up box. i

7. A box blank for the formation of a one-piece collapsible box formed of a rectangular paper sheet having intersecting side and end scores forming marginal walls and corner flaps, spaced intermediate transverse scoring intersecting the longitudinal scores to define a connecting side wall and end flaps thereon, there being divergent diagonal scores in the marginal walls adjacent to each ofvsaid end andcorner flaps defining triangular fold flaps, and a foldable reinforcement movable with the connecting side wall and attached to the end flaps thereof.

'8. A box blank according to claim 7 in which the diagonal marginal scores adjacent to the corner flaps are disposed to per' mit both of the marginal end walls of the box to fold in the same direction with the reinforcement after the box corners have been stitched 9. A collapsible one-piece paper box having a bottom, a top, and a side wall connecting the top and bottom, said side, top and bottom being defined by intersecting longitudinal. and transverse scores forming marginal side walls on their respective exposed edges, means adapting each corner of the blank to be. formed and stitched to form a box corner, diagonal scores intersecting the marginal side walls in position to permit-the folding flat of the stitched box corners and a reinforcement formed by a rectangular body scored at its corners to fold flat and mounted to fold with a side wall of the bottom. a

10. A box in accordance with claim 9, in which are provided scores oppositely divergent from the inside corners of each flap formed at the end of the side connecting wall, said scores being placed to form triangular flaps adapted when folded to overlap inside of the marginal wall at the adjacent end of the side connecting wall.

11. A collapsible one-piece paper box formed only by scoring a rectangular sheet of paper with intersecting scores defining a top and bottom having free marginal end and side walls and a common connecting side wall, a scored rectangular reinforcement adapted to fold and having one side wall attached to said connecting side wall there being scores in the marginal walls for the formation of corners and to permit the telescoping of the marginal end and side walls on the top and bottom of the assembled box.

12. A one-piece collapsible paper box formed of a rectangular paper sheet which is scored only to define the top, bottom and side walls of the box, and which has its four i corners formed and stitched, means to rovide for the folding down of the marglnal side walls after the corners of the blank are formed and stitched, and a rectangular reinforcing member shaped to fit snugly in the set up bottom of the box and scored only at its corners for folding, said reinforcement being attached to a marginal walllof the set up box bottom.

13. A one-piece collapsible paper boxv formed of a rectangular sheet of paper which is scored only, said scoring defining the top, connecting side wall, the bottom and marginal side walls surrounding the free edges of the top and bottom, said marginal walls being scored to provide for the formation of box corners at the four corners of'the blank and to permit the marginal sides to be folded down after the formation of said corners, and a collapsible reinforcing member.

GEORGEE. SCRUBY,

Witness NOMIE VVELsH. 

